Electric-current collector



. D. R. scHoLEs ELECTRIC CURRENT COLLECTOR Filed Dec. 1, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet l Amknhlmm able.

Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED s"-rarlsv y 1,596,557 PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL R. sonotnsor CHICAGC, IL'Lni'ofI's, lAssreuen To AER'MOTORCOMPANY, 0F

' CHICAGO, ILLINors, A CRPORA'TION or I'Lnn'vosy f ELECTRIC-ovarian@COLLECTOR Appneauon inea December '1, 1921.r 'serial No. 519,149.

My invention relates to electric current collectors and has a number ofObjects 'and advantagesin view. The 'collector of my invention includesat least one current Conducting ring and a terminal current con#du'cting plate bearing upon a face of the ring, these elements beingrelatively rotat` ln metallic 'circuits there are tweg' sueh rings withcurrent conducting respectively ii'i'dividu'al thereto.

lno'ne A'embodilnent of t-he'in've'ntion the rings' and plates 'arehorizontally arranged with the plates preferably bearing upon the ringsby'gravity. The conductors leading to the plates vdepend therefrom totheir weight to the plates and thereby increase the "contactingpressure. Springs are also preferably employed" to supplement gravity ineffecting contacting pressure between the plates and rings.

The electric current collector of my inventien is or particular servicewhen em'l ployed in connection withwindmills that are arranged'- todrive electric 'currentI genera# tors for the purpe'se 'or furnishingcharging current to storage batteries and when my invention is thusemployed the contacting rings are arranged to turn with the wind#millhead and the contacting plates are ar'- ranged to be stationary, theconductors leads ing lto the contacting plates extending through thehollow4 mast of the mill.v By holding' the 'current conducting plates'from rotation they are prevented from creeping as the rings turnbeneath them so that the conductors leading to the 'plates do notbec'oi'ne twisted. The means rorholding the plates from rotationdesirably resides in a mechanical connection that is fastened upon themast or the mill and which passes through the bores or the rings intofixed connection with the plates. This mechanical connection isdesirably a bar or plate of in-v sulatio'n and it is interposed betweenthe conductors leading to the plates further to guard against any shortcircuiting connection therebetween.

l will explain my invention in all or its aspects by reference to theaccompanying drawings showing` the preferred embodiment thereof and inwhich Fig. l is a plan view of a part or a windmill structure il-Ylustrating the hub portion of the wind wheel, aV part of thewindmillhead and th" j eritor upon the head; Figi; 2 'a v platessectional view illustrating the upper portion of the windmill structureand the bearing by which the windmill effects rotation or' the generatorarmature, the wind wheel being omitted for the salre'ol clearness, this'V'ligure' also illustrating a ystorage battery brought into circuitrelation withtlie i -erator bymeans or the current collector oi' myinvention; Fig. V3 Vis a vertical 'sectional gen- iew'throughl thecurrent `collector or my invention that is disposed at the :top of thewindmill structure, this ligure being essenon this' shaftthat'isemployed `for the purpose of holding the plates in rotation, oneof said plates, and a spring washer that is employed for holding thisplate in contact with the conducting ring complemental thereto, thespring washer and plate being shown separated from each other and fromthe other parts illustrated in this ligure.

vLike' 'parts are indicated fby similar characters or referencethroughout the diiiferent figures'.

The portion of the windmill structure shown includes an upright tubularcolumn l whose 'reducedupper end constitutes an upright .shaftali'ording an upright axis about which the `windmill head 2 may turnupon a step bearing 53 rsupported upon the lower column portion. Themill head 'carries the wind wheel shaft L upon which there is a spurgear 5. It alsocarries a pinion 6 that is in mesh with the spur gear 5and is in iixed relation with another spur gear 7 that is in mesh with apinion 8 that is also upon the mill head. 9 is co-axial Vwith and fixedwith respect to the pinion 8 and has its brushes connected with thesto-rage battery 10 through the intermediation of the current collectorof my invention.

This current collector is carried at the upper end or the tubularportion 11 of the mill head, this tubular portion being rurnisheduponthe tubular column l to be c0- axial therewith, the roller bearingstructures l2 .being preferably' interposed letwe'en the El.' tubularextensin il and the tubular clumii The armature or the generator 1. Atable 13 is fixed upon the upper end of the tubular extension 11 bymeans of the bolts 14, this table having a circular opening 16 that isconcentric with the tubular column 1 and the tubular extension 11. Ahorizontal ring of insulation 17 is fitted within an annular seat thatis upon the table and is concentric with the table opening 16 and thetubular elements 1 and 11. A. current conducting ring of metal 18 isformed with an upwardly extending annular rim 19 and a downwardlyextending annular rim 20, he latter encompassing and Vbeing in snug fitwith the insulating ring V17. Another insulating' horizontal ring 21 issurrounded by and is in snug fit with the rim` 19. Another horizontalcurrent conducting ring 22 is similar in construction to the currentconducting ring 18 and is sandwiched between the insulating ring 21 andanother horizontal insulating ring 23, the arrangement and engagement ofthese three rings 21, 22 and 23 being similar to the arrangement andengagement of the rings 17, 18 and 21. The bores of all of the rings areco-axial with each other and with the .sulation 28.

tubular elements 1 and' 11 and are maintained in this relation due tothe nesting Aconstruction and engagement -of the rings. The assembly ofthe rings is further maintained by means of the annular top plate 23 andbolts 24 passing therethrough into the table 13.

An annniar recess 25 is formed where each conducting ring is inengagement with an insulating ring, this recess being preferably formedin such conducting ring itself. Each recess 25 contains a circular plateor disc 26 of metal and as said recesses are in the top sides of therings having them each plate 26 therein rests thereupon by gravity, theaction of gravity being preferably supplemented by a spring washer 27located above each disc 26 and pressing upon the same and upon theinsulating ring above. The plates 26 are held from rotation with respectto each other and are also preferably held from rotation with respect tothe tubular column 1 by means of a mechanical connection in the form ofa bar of in- 'Ihis plate is inserted within diametrically opposite slotsin the upper end of the tubular column 1 and passes through oblongopenings 29 in the plates 26 so that such platesA cannot turn withrespect to the tubular column nor with respect to each other. rIheconducting wires 30, 31 that include the generator in circuit arerespectively connected with the conducting rings 22 and 18. Theconductors 32, 33 that connect the storage' battery in circuit' areconnected with the plates 26. The lower plate V26 has two openings 3athrough which both conductor 32 passing.. through the bore ofV only onering 18 while the conductor 33 passes through the bores of both rings.The weight of the conductors that are pendant from the plates 26supplements the weight of these plates to maintain them in contact withthe current conducting rings to which these plates are respectivelyindividual and as the mechanical connection 28 rprevents the plates fromrotating the conductors do not become twisted together and asthe element28 is desirably formed of insulation it further guards against the shortcircuiting connection of the conductors 32, 33. 'Ihe spring washers 27further insure intimate contact between the plates 26 and the currentconducting rings. Y

Thile the rings of the current collector of my invention are shown asbeing horizontally disposed in order that gravity may play its part inmaintaining good connection between the co-operating contact portions ofthe collector, I do not wish to be limited to this arrangement of suchrings nor do I wish to be limited to the employment of my currentcollector in conjunction with windmills.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferredembodiment of my invention I do not wish to be` limited to the precisedetails of construction shown as changes may readily be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described myinvention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thefollowing:

1. An electric current collector comprising a rotatable terminal currentconducting member carrying a plurality of conducting rings, fixed ringseach contacting with one of the first mentioned rings, and a fixedsupporting member having a member of insulation xed therein which hassliding engagement with said -fixed rings to hold same from rotation. Y

2. An electric current collector comprising a rotatable terminal currentconducting member carrying a plurality of conducting rings, fixed ringseach contacting with the first mentioned rings, a fixed supportingmember having a member of insulation fixed therein which has slidingengagement with said fixed rings and holds them from rotation, andspring washers adapted to press against said fixed rings and hold themin pressure contact with the first mentioned rings.

3. An electric current collector comprising a rotatable terminal currentconclu(stingv member carrying a plurality of conducting rings, fixedrings each contacting with the rst mentioned rings, a ixed tubularsupporting member having a member of insu-v lation fixed therein whichhas sliding engagement with said lixed rings to hold same from rotationand current conducting leads connected to said ixed rings and extendingthrough said tubular supporting member.

4c. An electric current collector comprising a rotatable terminalconducting member earrying a plurality of conducting rings, fixed ringscontacting With one of the first men-V tioned rings, a fixed tubularsupporting member having a member of insulation fixed therein Which hassliding engagement with said iixed rings and holds them from rotation,current conducting leads connected ,to said fixed rings and extendingthrough said tubular supporting member and spring Washers adapted topress against said lixed rings and hold them in pressure Contact withthe iirst mentioned rings.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day ofNovember, A. D., 25

